What Was Once, Can It Be Again?
by The lunatic who cares
Summary: SG1 discover that just because someone fights on their side doesn't mean that their views are the same.


**Title: **What was once... Can it be again?

**Disclaimer: ** Not mine. What a shock!!

**Notes: **I was feeling really depressed when I started this and I started writing and had no clue what I was trying to write so it gets lamer towards the end. Sorry! I like reviews (very nice!) but can we make them helpful please? And if another person tells me to use original characters....Stargate is set on the whole premise of meeting _new_ people. Sorry done ranting now.

The woman touched the screen in front of her with her fingertips, a solitary tear tracing a wet path down her cheek.

"I'm sorry," she whispered before crushing the object in her hand.

The other side of the screen turned yellow then red before, finally, darkness fell.

"Brilliant," Jack muttered as he stepped out of the Stargate onto another cold, muddy world.

The rest of the team spread out behind him into the clearing surrounding the gate, searching for danger before settling slightly and beginning their survey. Unnoticed a small child of eight watched them, hidden. She transmitted all she saw to another, who was many miles away.

What shall I do? she asked across the mental bridge.

Wait, make contact if you so desire but if you do your shield must be in place and you must not get too close, the voice answered. I will be there soon.

The girl nodded before standing up and walking out of the bushes towards SG-1.

"Heads up," Jack spotted her first.

The rest of the team turned to face the intruder.

"Hello," the child greeted.

"Hi," Jack answered, but he was still wary of her.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Jack," he told her.

She nodded, eyes going to the woman beside Jack.

"I'm Sam," she told the girl.

Nodding again she worked her way through Daniel and Teal'c then she turned slightly,

"You heard?"

"Yes Mala I heard what they said," a woman of about 20 stepped out of the undergrowth.

The girl, Mala, turned back to SG-1 to look at them,

"Was it the truth?"

The woman didn't answer directly but instead inspected the four strangers standing in front of her. The team remained quiet throughout, something deep inside warning them it would be best.

"They are true to each other," she eventually said.

"And to us?" Mala asked.

The woman glanced down at the child at her side and shrugged. SG-1 team listened to the strange exchange between the two, miffed by the talk. Daniel took a step forward,

"Since you know who we are can we ask the same of you?"

"Yes of course. I am Kelios and this is Mala," the woman answered.

That really doesn't help us much! Jack thought, resigning himself to the fact that they were going to be difficult. He opened his mouth to ask another question but Kelios smiled and beat him to it.

"I will try to be more helpful in the future, starting now. This world is called Resarcio in the native tongue and I am one of its protectors, if you like, and so is Mala."

"Who do you protect it from?" Jack asked.

"Goa'uld mostly," Kelios answered.

"So you're a good guy then?" Jack was hopeful.

Kelios nodded before suddenly lifting her head and staring at the Stargate.

"I can show you now if you like, but I suggest you take cover and stay there no matter what happens," Kelios told SG-1 before gesturing to Mala who disappeared off towards the gate.

The Stargate began to turn and lock chevrons out.

"How did you know that was going to happen?" Daniel gaped.

"I'll explain later, but please, hide," Kelios ushered them away from the clearing and then she disappeared as well.

SG-1 looked at one another before positioning themselves so they could see the gate without being vulnerable. They watched with growing horror as an army of Jaffa streamed out of the gate and began arranging into patrols and units. Once the whole army was through the gate the wormhole closed and scouting groups began to set off in different directions, but they had barely taken two steps when Kelios appeared in the clearing. Immediately the all the Jaffa turned towards her, weapons raised and one shouted at her to kneel and obey. Kelios didn't move, instead she nodded once and four women including Mala stepped forward into the clearing at regular intervals around the military presence. The men turned to face the nearest woman but all Kelios did was to raise her hands either side of her body in a sweeping movement. Suddenly a force field sprung up from the ground surrounding the army enclosing them in a sea of swirling green. Startled some of the Jaffa fired at the women but the field absorbed the blasts until an order was given to stop firing. The commander of the forces stepped towards Kelios and said,

"What is the meaning of this?"

"You have tried to invade again. I cannot allow it to happen," Kelios responded.

"You have no choice. Your God demands you obey," the Jaffa shouted.

"He is no god," Kelios responded calmly. "If you have noticed I have left the dialling device within the enclosure so you may leave at any time."

"I take no orders from you," the man told her.

"You only take orders from Goa'uld?" Kelios asked.

"Yes our God commands all!" the man sounded triumphant.

"So be it," Kelios said gravely before her voice boomed out across the clearing. "Hear me Jaffa!"

From his position in the bushes Jack flinched,

"Crap she's a Goa'uld!"

"She maybe a Tokra O'Neill," Teal'c told him.

"True," Jack agreed. "Still don't mean I have to like it."

If SG-1 were shocked then it was nothing to the Jaffa's reaction. Some had fallen to their knees, some had backed away and others were shouting angrily but mainly they were too shocked to say or do anything. The commander on the other hand remained quiet and waited until she'd finished telling them what to do.

"My master said you might do this and he also told me you are no Goa'uld and that we are not to listen," he told smugly.

"I have given you amply warning and since you do not heed me you force my hand," Kelios managed to sound deadly serious and sad at the same.

The Jaffa snorted and opened his mouth in retort when Kelios raised her hand to signal to the other women, who raised their hands and placed them on the force field. White, red, blue and yellow streaks flared out across the green field before it began to shrink inwards towards the army. The leader ordered them to stand firm but when the field touched them the Jaffa began dying in horrible ways. Those who were touched by the white patches on the field collapsed, gasping for air and those who touched the red went up in flames, but the flames only burned on those who had touched the field. They never spread to others or the ground. Touching the blue caused the water in their bodies to evaporate and after touching the yellow Jaffa were blinded. The leader ordered a retreat back through the Stargate at the same time as cursing the women who had brought such destruction upon them. They left behind their dead.

As soon as the last Jaffa had disappeared through the gate the women lowered the force field and Kelios walked over to the dead, looking each one of them once in silence. The rest of the women stood still as if waiting for something. SG-1 stood and walked quietly over to the women and they knew to keep the respectful peace, even if the dead were the enemy. Lyta straightened up from the last body sighing, as the ground beneath all the bodies became soft and they sank away without leaving a trace.

"Would you care to explain?" Jack asked.

Kelios looked at them before sweeping her arm in a big arc around the clearing. A huge whitish dome rose above their heads, encompassing the Stargate and covering the path that led away from the gate to the city in the far distance.

"What the hell?" Jack started, staring up.

"Do you want to see more?" Kelios ground out, her voice cracking.

Jack jerked his gaze back to her and Kelios waved her hand again. The dome faded into transparency to reveal a blackened, barren plain stretching out on every side. SG-1 stared in silent amazement but saddened at the lands appearance which was clearly not natural.

"We are this planet's protectors and we failed once," Kelios whispered.

"Who did this?" Daniel asked softly.

"We did," Kelios answered.

"You what?" Jack spun to face her.

"This planet became invaded by the Goa'uld. We tried to bargain with them then fight back but we should have never let them get so far into our defences. We tried to get everyone to safety but in the end we had to wipe out all known life outside this 'sanctuary'," Kelios sighed, saying the last word sarcastically.

"You have the technology to do this?" Sam questioned.

Kelios smiled grimly,

"Technology is not the right word. Power would be better and I have a child who could destroy the universe if she desired, so yes we have the power."

"Why did you leave the Stargate within the dome?" Sam asked, military training kicking in.

"We wait," Kelios answered simply.

"Who are you?" Daniel breathed.

"A mistake," Kelios snapped, suddenly cross.

"Hey look no offence meant lady but this is kinda a big thing," Jack held up his hands.

Kelios didn't answer, instead she walked away and the dome faded and was replaced by the view first seen by SG-1.

"Take no notice of Kelios when she gets like that. She blames the loss of so much on herself despite the fact it is not her fault," a woman of about the same age stepped forward. "My name is Casmara."

The introductions began and the atmosphere became friendlier. The other women of the group were all about twenty and they led them towards up the path towards the city. The team walked with the group, each asking different questions of different girls and they got answers, evasive answers. As they climbed a hill Sam asked one very important question,

"What happens to people that touch the barrier?"

The women stopped and looked at each other. Sellen sighed and tried to explain,

"Nothing. You just cannot see what you have walked into. Can you feel the desire... no that is not the right word..."

"Do you want to leave this path and walk over there?" Casmara asked gesturing to the illusionary distance.

"No. I feel safe here," Daniel answered, frowning.

"I know I should go there and scout out the lie of the land but I don't want to," Jack looked to Sam and Teal'c for confirmation.

Both nodded in agreement.

"That is the shield giving off subtle waves of... of something," Msim told them.

"Of something?" Sam questioned.

Msim shrugged,

"Ask Kelios. She is the one who built it."

They continued walking but Jack tested their theory by walking with a hand on the invisible wall and found the feeling most disconcerting. This was why he nearly fell over when the barrier disappeared from under his hand. Stopping he traced a corner and realised the feeling of not wanting to walk away from the beaten trail had disappeared.

"So what about here then?" he asked.

The group was some way ahead by this point but, as the rest of SG-1 paused in their tracks, the women kept on walking.

"That is Erinnerung," Sellen called back over her shoulder.

"And that means?" Jack rolled his eyes at the language difference.

"What it means," Sellen answered.

Jack looked at his team, exasperated, before turning onto the faint path and disappearing into the trees. Sam started up the bank after her Colonel followed by Daniel and Teal'c and the first two vanished into the woods. Teal'c was about to step in when Sellen called to him,

"I would not go in there if I was you."

"Why would I not?" Teal'c tightened his grip on his staff weapon.

"You have no permission to be in there and there is a guard," Msim informed him.

Teal'c accepted this information before going after his comrades, even more wary than before. Shortly he stepped out into a grassy clearing to find the other members of SG-1 scanning the plain.

"O'Neill there is a guard," Teal'c told Jack.

"We haven't seen him yet so keep your eyes pealed," Jack answered, walking cautiously forward towards a huge monolith at the glade's centre.

The team carefully checked the entire area and found nothing, so they all ended up staring at the rock.

"What the hell is it?" Jack asked gazing upwards.

Daniel and Sam were in conversation as they knelt pointing at marks on its base. Sam stood as Daniel pulled out a notebook and began noting things down.

"Well sir as far as I can make out there is nothing else to it. No power source, no moving parts. It's just a rock with writing on it," Sam shrugged.

"So we'll be waiting awhile whilst Daniel does his thing," Jack sighed, settling down for the wait.

Teal'c stood watching the clearing, on alert for the guard who had yet to make an appearance when he caught a glimpse of something moving to his right. Turning he motioned to Jack who nodded his understanding before disappearing round the stone. Teal'c went back to his vigil, being careful not to look directly at any movements and therefore give the game away that the other party had been spotted. Suddenly a whistling rent the air and everyone automatically ducked as a spear shot through the air. It landed a few paces away from Teal'c having travelled through the air which Teal'c had, moments ago, been occupying. A man appeared on the clearings edge with another weapon and he shouted at them angrily,

"Leave! You have been given the warning shot. You have no right to disturb the sacred site of Erinnerung!"

"Hold it buddy! Call that a warning shot? If he'd been any slower that would have hit him," Jack shouted from his position from behind the rock.

"It was not a silent shot and therefore a warrior is given enough warning. If he had been hit then it is his fault for not moving quick enough," the man returned as he strode across the clearing. "It is my duty to see you from this place with any means possible."

"Can I just ask something?" Daniel poked his head out from the hollow he was in. "What is Erinnerung?"

The man stopped, shock clearly visible on his face,

"It is...it is this. I have never had to explain it to people before nor should I!"

"But we are visitors to this planet," Daniel explained.

"Then you should have gone to the city," the man answered.

"We were on our way there with your umm protectors when..." Daniel was interrupted by the man.

"You have talked with the Protectors?"

"Yes we meet them when we stepped through the Stargate," Daniel explained, standing up.

The build up of shock was clearly too much for the man,

"I thought I was honoured to have met them when I was chosen from among my people to guard Erinnerung but now I see that pales into insignificance when you have done nothing to warrant their attention yet you receive it."

"But they were there to stop..." Daniel began only to be interrupted once more.

Kelios and Casmara marched into the clearing and Kelios held up her hand to forestall any questions,

"Hold! I will tell you what Erinnerung means."

"Protector of Resarcio's land!" the man fell to his knees. "Protector of Resarcio's light!"

Kelios sighed before gesturing for him to stand,

"Lornoc please how many times must I ask you to call me Kelios? I will look after these people now. You have done your job well."

The man, Lornoc, smiled and bowed.

"Here, walk with me and tell me about yourself and your family," Casmara led him away, glancing over her shoulder at Kelios.

"Do not tell these people of the attack because they couldn't handle it. We once told them about every attack but it only served to panic them and so now we keep the peace by not letting them know," Kelios informed SG-1.

"You said you'd tell us what Erinnerung means," Daniel turned to face the monolith. "But I gather it has something to do with the writing on this stone."

"Yes. Erinnerung is a memory of the past," Kelios answered walking up to the stone and running her hands over its surface. "Before the bad times of this planet the whole surface was inhabited and it was a good, peaceful, happy place. This stands here remembering the past and each word is the name of something lost."

"So it's like a memorial to the dead," Jack compared it to Earth idea.

"Mmm close enough," Kelios nodded.

"But why is it so cut off from the local people with a guard and special permission needed to come here?" Sam asked, hitting on a problem.

"The main generation now were born within the dome and do not remember the outside as it was before. Several times groups have attempted to remove Erinnerung and so a guard, who values the past, was picked," Kelios sighed.

Sam's eyes widened slightly and she glanced at the others to see if they'd come to the same conclusion as her. Daniel wore a surprised face and Teal'c nodded in response but Jack frowned at her.

"Ok let me run through this," Sam held up her hand. "First the planet was attacked by the Goa'uld, second _you_ built the dome and wiped out life outside it, third _you_ built this place to commemorate the past and now people don't remember the outside world."

Kelios nodded,

"That is it in basic terms."

"But problems for us are first the Goa'uld voice you had in the clearing, second you have the power to do all you've said you've done and third you'd be much older than you look," Sam pointed out.

"The voice is something I can pull off. I have practiced long for that effect but I am not Goa'uld," Kelios told them.

"What about Tok'ra?" Daniel asked.

"Who?" Kelios frowned.

"People with snakes in their heads who profess to be good guys but it's doubtful," Jack answered.

"No," Kelios shook her head before continuing. "We have the power. We cannot help it, did not ask for it and if you do not believe me, well... too bad. Another thing we did not ask for was the long life to go with it but it is there alright."

"What about the titles' Lornoc addressed you with? They were different," Daniel frowned slightly.

"Ah those. We asked not to have them and live like normal people but they stuck after..." Kelios stared at the group hard.

"The difference?" Daniel asked again.

"They sort of sum themselves up really," Kelios shrugged.

"Yes but what do they actually mean in relationship to you?" Daniel persisted.

"That is my power or... or position if you like, that is Flick's power, that is... us," Kelios struggled to explain it.

"You said at the Stargate that you had a child who could destroy the universe. What's her title?" Sam enquired.

Kelios was slightly surprised that Sam had remembered that but she shrugged it off,

"Little Gilla's title is Protector of Resarcio's space but these people do not understand the concept."

"I don't get it!" Jack threw his hands up in disgust. "You have all this super cool power and therefore can do anything you want, but you stand there and tell me you don't want it! Why would you not?"

Kelios stared at him before quietly asking,

"Do you like your life?"

"Is that a threat?" Jack's hands went to his gun.

"No," Kelios shook her head. "Just a question."

"Yeah my life's ok. It could be better but then again everyone says that," Jack answered.

"Well look at it from my point of view. I have never had a normal day in my life and neither have my children and I have to be so careful with my temper so that my power does not lash out and kill everyone. Now I look at you, these people and wish for a simple life, away from this... this knowledge. That is why," Kelios told them.

"What do you want?" Teal'c spoke up.

"To have a normal life but that is impossible," Kelios sighed.

"May we be of assistance in any way?" Teal'c asked.

Kelios thought about it for a moment before smiling, brightening,

"Actually you can! Have you any means of defending your planet from the Goa'uld?"

"Lots. Anything in particular?" Jack was more comfortable on old ground.

"The... What did you call it? Stargate?" Kelios glanced around.

"Yes," Sam took over.

"Something to stop them getting through that in the first place would be the best option," Kelios answered.

"We have something called an iris that closes over the Stargate when we want it to. It stops people rematerialising after the event horizon," Sam explained.

Kelios nodded,

"Could anyone be trained to operate it?"

"Given time I should think so," Sam answered.

"If this planet had an iris it would mean these people would be safe from attack and my extended family and I could get a bit of peace," Kelios explained her idea.

"We would have to set up talks between our worlds," Daniel interceded.

"Fine. It would be good for these people to realise there are some other people out there that are not Goa'uld," Kelios agreed.

Kelios led them to the city, where despite some strange looks and people falling to the floor when they saw Kelios, the journey progressed smoothly. She led them to a small gate in an enormous wall before turning to them.

"Please understand from now on if I stop using my mouth to talk I am sorry but none of us here bother anymore. Try not to be alarmed or scared if our voices sound in your head we just... well once inside we forgot who you are and continue as normal." Kelios shrugged, smiling slightly before pushing open the door.

The team exchanged glances, subtly tightened their grip on their weapons and followed Kelios in.

"Oh wow," Daniel exclaimed softly.

They were in an enormous building with a multi-coloured glass dome rising above their heads. The whole place looked almost fragile but clearly it could be anything but due to the enormous weight resting on its foundations.

"_I am glad you like the architecture of my home but we are here for a reason," _Kelios voice echoed in their heads.

Jack winced and pushed a finger into to his ear, wiggling it round.

"Sir?" Sam asked.

"Nope. Doesn't work," he replied.

"I am sorry. I will try to remember," Kelios frowned. "This way."

As the team followed Kelios through the halls the team saw glances of children's' faces peering at them but all noticed the general air of sadness in the place. All four exchanged a look and then Jack had purposefully glared at Daniel, who had rolled his eyes before hurrying up to Kelios.

"Ah Kelios why is it so sad in here?" he asked.

"Way to go with the subtle," Jack muttered.

Kelios smiled sadly, matching the atmosphere so well she disappeared from Daniel's mind for a moment.

"I will show you," she told him.

The group walked a bit further until they came across another enormous opening where Kelios held up her hand and bid SG-1 wait where they were. She wandered off through a doorway and the team moved slowly around, wary but unsure why they felt so insecure. Ten minutes elapsed before Kelios came back, this time with company and Jack shifted, cautious, as he counted the number of people now filling the space between the columns.

"This is my family," Kelios swept her hands out to either side of her before she told SG-1 to sit down on some seats.

"Why?" Jack was getting more suspicious by the moment.

"Stand then!" Kelios snapped. "We want you out the way so we can show you what we need to."

The four exchanged looks but moved to their seats. Daniel was the only one who sat down as Sam, Jack and Teal'c took up careful stances, watching the room. Kelios sighed as she watched her family move into position and as one they raised their hands to touch the column on their left. Panels slid open and they laid their hands on the gel like pads that appeared and a holographic projection appeared in the middle of the room. SG-1 watched as the planet's history was played for them in full, fast motion. They saw the destruction of most of the planet's surface and from that point on the show slowed slightly as more attempts to conquer the planet were clearly in evidence. The team even watched themselves come through the Stargate before the image faded.

"Why did you show us that?" Jack asked.

"Do you understand now how big the enclosure is and how long we have been holding it together?" Kelios didn't answer him.

"Yeah we get it's huge and it's been up over a century," Jack waved his hand.

"Now we want to show you something else," Kelios took a deep breath, then nodded to the others.

Something came over them and the team suddenly saw how old some of them looked. Sam's hiss brought everyone's eye back to Kelios who looked like a decaying corpse. Her skin was shrivelled, eyes sunken and back bowed as she struggled for breath but her gaze was clearly fixed on them.

"Help us," her voice sounded like gravel. "We need to know this planet is safe before we fade completely."

Jack gaped at her, too shocked to speak but Teal'c didn't seemed so phased by her appearance. He stepped forward to be seen clearer before he spoke,

"Why do you appear to be so much older than the others?"

"Kelios has taken the greater strain and she will not let us help her as much as we would like," Casmara answered.

"I designed this place. I killed the outside world. I am responsible!" Kelios hissed back.

"You are not responsible for the thoughts and actions of the Goa'uld who provoked this," Sellen told her.

It sounded like an old argument and Jack didn't want to hear it repeated so he interrupted,

"Why do you look so different to before?"

"We hide who we are through a lot of effort and technology. The people need to think we will never go so that they are safe," Kelios replied.

"Surely though by doing that you've backed yourself into a corner," Daniel stood.

Kelios looked at him, frowning.

"By making yourselves so powerful and untouchable the people now think you'll be here forever which clearly you won't. They are also highly distrustful of others and so it makes our job harder when you want us to give you technology to protect this planet. How can we train someone to operate the iris when they won't talk to us?" Daniel told them what they needed to hear.

Kelios coughed before she spoke,

"Maybe we have done it wrong, but now we are begging you do not punish these innocents for what we've done."

"We'll help but you must give us everything about this dome so when you're gone these people can maintain it," Jack was harsh but it needed to be done.

"Yes," Kelios nodded, smiled and then collapsed.

The rest broke free from their panels and came to her aid. Saying nothing they carried her away. Casmara paused before she disappeared,

"Go home. I gather you will need others to help you. The door you came through is always open. The people will not both you but please come back soon."

The team filed out onto the street, but as Casmara had said, no one even spoke to them and they made it back to the Stargate without mishap. The debriefing was not fun for any of them but General Hammond finally agreed to help Resarcio all that they could. SG-1 went back to the ravaged planet and passed on the news to Casmara who seemed to be in charge of getting the two planets working together. They never saw Kelios again and when they asked about her they received short, uninformative answers that she was alive.

A few months later the iris was in place and the population of Resarcio was beginning to mingle with the base staff who had been assigned to the installation of the iris and training of it's operators. Providing the protectors with a generator helped take the strain off them to maintain the environment and the planets continued to help each better themselves.


End file.
